Welcome

Welcome to the POZ/AIDSmeds Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ/AIDSmeds community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

People get angry. They usually start out blaming an unnamed clique that has been able to infiltrate and bend the will of the entire forum to do it's nefarious bidding. If that doesn't work you throw in accusations of an unyielding group of power mad moderators that are only in it for the money. Don't forget to add the obligatory, "I can prove this because I have an inbox full of PM's from people who support me in my lonely crusade." Feign outrage, lament the changes, and threaten to leave never to return.

The next day you start a thread in Off Topic posting pictures of your pets, Snowball, Glamor Puss, and Mr. Jingles.

Dachshund -- I needed a good laugh -- thank you for this.

And to all of those who have posted messages about how much the forums and this site mean to them, and how the forums have affected your lives in positive ways... thanks for the incredible feedback. I am often in awe of these forums, especially their diverse and committed membership. This place has a life of its own now, which I think the mods and AIDSmeds staff (and Smart+Strong management) play one of the smallest roles.

I have enjoyed this site in the year and a half that i have been lurking here i have learned so much that has helped me with the work that i am doing with the ASO that i volunteer at and the onformation that i recieve here has helped some of the clients that i have helped there and have seen some of them join here later thanks for everything Peter S, Ann, Andy V, Tim H. I have learned also that i have to sit and think before i post because i have to word it right

I started this thread and for whatever reason it seems to have gone off track. This is not a major surprise to me given the current atmosphere here. Since I started it and with all due respect for the jobs that each of you do to try to maintain some level of decorum, I respectfully request that this thread be locked.

Hmmm, I am a bit confused. Now Ric wants the thread locked..This made me read his initial post again because I thought maybe I had missed something since he said that this thread has gone off track. I don't think I missed anything and from what I could see the things he mentioned did get addressed by forum members and staff alike except maybe for the political thing. Or was this suppose to be only addressed by the staff? It's obvious to me that he must not of been satisfied with what he has seen so far.

I know I'm a little late in coming into this but I have been otherwise engaged today, I have two little kids that have been demanding my attention all day.

I can't really added any more than has been already said except to say that this has been a healthy and uplifting thread, at least for me, and believe me I have spent what time I've had today going over every post and taking it all in.

Everyone that has posted has done so in a manner that has made every post worth reading,( with exception of one, but that has been dealt with), and I didn't have to bang my head on the keyboard once... .

What I have seen so far is a positive and constructive bebate from all the members involved, everyone has voiced their opinions and have been able to get their points across in a clear and concise manner leaving no doubt in anyones mind what they mean or where they stand on the issues that have been brought up today.

I would just like like to add a little something that Ann and Iggy have already said and that is, first and foremost I'm a lady living with HIV, I'm a proud member of these forums and now a Moderator..in that order, I came here in 2003 looking for support, information and advise, I got that and much much more, Joe and Ann were the first one's to respond to me by giving me the support I needed, and still support me to this day along with many others...that is why I stayed and that is why I'm still here..being Moderators doesn't mean that we don't need your support anymore because we do, and I hope we will continue to get it.

The forums have changed. But that's life. All things in life change. Actually I think WE have changed much more than the forums. I don't participate as much as I did during my first couple of years here. And the same is true for other forum members who I could always count on seeing multiple posts through-out the day when I first arrived. Of course, our participation has been replaced by new people.

Next year I will be going on my 5th year of living with HIV and 5 years being a member of this forum. That says a lot to me. People have come and gone during that time, but the level of support I get whenever I have an issue is always the same. I think the rules have made things better. I used to get into my battles with people in the forums. But for the most part, that's all stopped now. Maybe I've changed. But I like to think it's because I choose not to risk losing my participation in the forums, which means more to me than flamming a thread.

I agree with Cliff, the forums have changed, and change is not always bad. I have my 'old' friends in these forums, but have grown very fond of some of the folks who have joined within the last year, and made some good connections with them. As a LTS, I feel most comfortable in that forum, since 70% of my issues involve being a dinosaur. I don't post very frequently in Living With, other than just a comment or reply here and there, and of course the birthay messages. But I still read as much as I have time for, and feel that I am still getting valuable support from this group.

The moderators do a fantastic job, in my opinion. I am grateful for the service they provide to these forums.

Alan

Logged

"Remember my sentimental friend that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." - The Wizard of Oz

I think the answer to this question is: both. Poz does provide the technical resources that make these forums possible. It's the members' contributions that provide the topics and content. I don't think Poz demands such a high price to pay for participating and contributing here: constructive discourse and criticism, without being threatening or insulting (oh, and no denialist theories). Sounds simple, but the moderators have the difficult chore of implementing the guidelines for participation. I see the moderator's go out of their way to avoid censorship, or favoritism here. Given that we're all human (including the moderators), people are going to perceive these warning and timeout situations slightly differently.

The content of the forums change because we change, and because there are more of us here.

Henry(who believes some folks will think I am ass-kissing)

Logged

"Life in Lubbock, Texas, taught me two things: One is that God loves you and you're going to burn in hell. The other is that sex is the most awful, filthy thing on earth and you should save it for someone you love." - Butch Hancock, Musician, The Flatlanders

I just want to add my voice to the chorus expressing approval of these forums and of the moderators who keep them from devolving into anarchy.

I've participated in many forums over the years. The ones that were not moderated always got out of control and became very unpleasant places to visit. Generally, it was just a few disruptive individuals who ruined it for everyone, and the forums just faded away.

On the other end of the spectrum are the forums in which every post is pre-screened by the moderator. I belong to one of those forums. It is no-nonsense place with absolutely no disruptive behavior. It's a good place to exchange information, but it's not a good place to feel a sense of community or to get to know people.

I feel that the AIDSmeds forums are an ideal middle ground between the two types of forums.

Sometimes I see people proudly declare that they're the kind of person who just speaks their mind and "tells it like it is." I cringe when I hear that, because it is almost always a prelude to uncivil behavior. Other people try to excuse the bad behavior of themselves or others by saying they're having a tough time in their personal lives. I don't buy that line either. I can't think of any valid excuse for personal insults and name calling. These forums are important to me, and I am glad that we have moderators who keep them functioning as a valuable resource for all of us.

I started this thread and for whatever reason it seems to have gone off track. This is not a major surprise to me given the current atmosphere here. Since I started it and with all due respect for the jobs that each of you do to try to maintain some level of decorum, I respectfully request that this thread be locked.

Regards, Ric

Ric,

I hope this doesn't come across as picking on you, but like Queen above, I don't see where this thread got off topic at all and frankly I think it's been one of the most stay on target threads we have had in a while with almost everyone being civil and thoughtful.

Obviously all of us missed your point if you say we went off track and I'm hoping you can help us better understand what was you were trying to convey if we are all misreading this.

I hope this doesn't come across as picking on you, but like Queen above, I don't see where this thread got off topic at all and frankly I think it's been one of the most stay on target threads we have had in a while with almost everyone being civil and thoughtful.

Obviously all of us missed your point if you say we went off track and I'm hoping you can help us better understand what was you were trying to convey if we are all misreading this.

I hope Ric didn't think I was picking on him either. I am really trying to see where it has gone off track. Like MC Lyte would say, I cram to understand you....(prolly only Aunty Doxie would get that line since he is so ghetto fabulous)...Ric, can you please show me where it has gone off track....

This will be my last post with regard to this thread. Carry on if you wish, but I have made the points that I wanted to make and I'm finished with this discussion. When a Mod and a member are threatened with a warning by the Founder for flaming, then the thread has gone off topic. Agree or not, it makes little difference to me at this point.

This will be my last post with regard to this thread. Carry on if you wish, but I have made the points that I wanted to make and I'm finished with this discussion. When a Mod and a member are threatened with a warning by the Founder for flaming, then the thread has gone off topic. Agree or not, it makes little difference to me at this point.

With respect for all, Ric

With all due respect Ric, can't you see that Peter was trying to be funny when he posted this?

Oh dear. Am I going to have to issue warnings to both David AND Ann about a flamewar?

I'm afraid I have to agree with Vokz about the cliques. This is why I haven't been on here for some time. Same old shit!

Odd you should say that...considering that was your very first post.

EDIT: and your profile says that you only registered a few days ago. Not a very fair thing to say for someone who hasn't really participated AT ALL in the forums. And it's also telling when someone makes a post like this and immediately logs off.

the point to all of this is that there was a time awhile back that it was different.. feeling safe, love each other, being pissed off at each other.. We all knew that it was for our own good.. I remember being so sick from the meds and having everyone come in with good advice to keep me out of hospital... and go figure.. I didn't have to go to hospital.. I still believe in this forum.. it is all I have!!